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Paul McCartney live.....

Got to see Sir Paul last night in Denver. First time I have seen him live. Very good show - good sound - great stage, lighting and effects. Paul was solid - bass playing clean - voice great considering the years. Backup band was very good - all sang which gave some great 5 part harmonies. The drummer, Abe Laboriel, Jr., kicked some major a$$. Man he was good. I would give my left one to play with a drummer like Abe.

Paul played a Hofner bass - no Ric. When playing guitar or piano, the rhythm guitarist played bass - mostly a Guild (Les Paul shape) and a hollow body Gibson (ES 335 shape).

Overall a great show. I hope I can still rock when I get to be Sir Paul's age.
 
Paul hasn't used his Ric' live since "Flowers in the Dirt", when he rediscovered his Hofner. I've read that he brings it (the Ric') along as a back up, but he also has a new Hofner as a bcakup too, so it's unlikely the Ric' will be getting used any time soon.

He is great live isn't he? :)

~Paul :)
 
paul n said:
Paul hasn't used his Ric' live since "Flowers in the Dirt", when he rediscovered his Hofner.
I think it's been longer than that. The latest pictures I've seen him with the Ric are mid-'70s Wings, around the "Wings Over The World" tour. Soon after he switched to a Yamaha, which you can hear on the bassline for "Goodnight Tonight". During "Flowers In The Dirt" he was playing mostly a 5 string Wal. Honestly I think some of his best sounding bass is from that Wal and he was not shy with the low notes below "E", which I also love.

It was Elvis Costello who convinced Paul to pull out the old Hofner, I believe specifically for the recording of the song "Veronica", which has a delightful bassline by Sir Paul. (I would not be surprised if producer T-Bone Burnett had a hand in that as well).
 
I've seen Macca live twice, -93 and -03, and it has only been Höfner.
As Philbiker says, the Ric hasn't probably beem used live since the 70's. It's a pity I think, as I'd rather see him playing that on tracks like
Sgt Pepper rather than hearing him playing the lead guitar (which he obviously did on the record too).